Juanmi called into Spain squad for injured Costa

Malaga forward Juanmi has been called into the Spain squad for upcoming games against Ukraine and the Netherlands with Chelsea striker Diego Costa set to miss out with a hamstring injury.

Costa had to be substituted after scoring his 19th goal of the season during the Premier League leaders’ 3-2 win at Hull City on Sunday.

The Spanish Football Federation said they would receive the results of tests carried out by Chelsea’s medical team on Monday, but Jose Mourinho suggested the Brazilian-born striker will not be fit for Friday’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Ukraine.

“For Diego, (the international break) is good, because imagine we play three matches in one week, that’s three matches he doesn’t play,” said Mourinho.

“I don’t think it will need an operation. Our doctor is against surgeries, against knives.”

Costa has had a history of hamstring injuries and most notably had to be replaced after just nine minutes of last season’s Champions League final when playing for Atletico Madrid.

Juanmi has scored seven times for Malaga this season, the highlight of which was the only goal in a shock 1-0 win at Barcelona last month.

After facing Ukraine in Seville, Vicente del Bosque’s men will be aiming to avenge their 5-1 humiliation at the hands of the Netherlands at the World Cup when they meet in a friendly in Amsterdam on March 31.